Need to boost my PH

[DeepSea1]

Hello everyone! Does anyone know how far a skimmer will suck air in from outside? I’m having trouble keeping my ph above 7.8 with the house closed up and the A/C on. Today was cooler outside so I opened up all the windows and my ph jumped to 8.2 in just a few hours. I would have to run an air tube into my basement and out the basement window. So , probably about 25 feet. Does anyone out there know if that is feasible? Thanks in advance ! My friends call me Big J

I ran the air intake from my skimmer to the outside and recieved a small boost. So I installed a CO2 scrubber and run the skimmers airline to that and now my PH is around 8.4 to 8.6. I am a diver and have easy access to bulk CO2 absorbent, so it is cost effective for me to run.

 

[GARRIGA]

I ran the air intake from my skimmer to the outside and recieved a small boost. So I installed a CO2 scrubber and run the skimmers airline to that and now my PH is around 8.4 to 8.6. I am a diver and have easy access to bulk CO2 absorbent, so it is cost effective for me to run.

Should reefers be shopping dive stores vs LFS for the absorbent?

 

[JCH]

Huh , well that’s interesting! So just add kalk to my top off water and forget about co2 and the soda ash? With the house closed up my PH hovers around 7.8 , I’m chasing numbers I guess trying to get my Acros to takeoff. That would be easier and cheaper just adding kalk to my top off wouldn’t it. I’ve seen wwc videos on that.

 

[DeepSea1]

Should reefers be shopping dive stores vs LFS for the absorbent?

I guess it depends if it is more cost effective. I use the same absorbent from my rebreather in my CO2 reactor. I do this because I have easy access to it. I find that the stuff I see from the big online aquarium stores is the same but at a higher cost.

 

[DeepSea1]

Huh , well that’s interesting! So just add kalk to my top off water and forget about co2 and the soda ash? With the house closed up my PH hovers around 7.8 , I’m chasing numbers I guess trying to get my Acros to takeoff. That would be easier and cheaper just adding kalk to my top off wouldn’t it. I’ve seen wwc videos on that.

I also use kalk but from a doser at night. I dose the amount that I lose to evaporation. This keeps my PH up at night when the lights are off.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

I Jerry rigged a scrubber with a deli container and barb fittings, but, look at the co2 scrubber lids on the fish of hex website and look at a small phosban reactor to make your life a little easier to n the install.

I’d also say the outside air may still be worth it, a 0.2ph bump is still substantial, but, you could try the scrubber method and see what you get.

Basically the outside air method is more work, but the co2 scrubber method would cost more, and has a recurring cost, but you could buy the co2 scrubbing media from BRS in bulk.

bra 7.5lb bag can be had for 30 dollars

 

[DeepSea1]

bra 7.5lb bag can be had for 30 dollars

I get a 45 lb bucket for 50

 

[DeepSea1]

I get a 45 lb bucket for 50

I also work professionally as a diver. I can buy in bulk for cheap. Either way you go, my point was that a CO2 scrubber is highly effective in boosting low PH.

 

[RSNJReef]

Ok, I take it back, lol!

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

I also work professionally as a diver. I can buy in bulk for cheap. Either way you go, my point was that a CO2 scrubber is highly effective in boosting low PH.

Ok you are going to be my new best friend. I don't need any now, but in the future could you get me that deal?

 

[DeepSea1]

Ok you are going to be my new best friend. I don't need any now, but in the future could you get me that deal?

Haha, shipping may be costly.

 

[Troylee]

Huh , well that’s interesting! So just add kalk to my top off water and forget about co2 and the soda ash? With the house closed up my PH hovers around 7.8 , I’m chasing numbers I guess trying to get my Acros to takeoff. That would be easier and cheaper just adding kalk to my top off wouldn’t it. I’ve seen wwc videos on that.

That’s how I roll… it’s the old skool way of reefing for people who didn’t wanna use a calcium reactor. I mean you got nothing to lose honestly to try it out and it’ll save ya some coin!

 

[billyocean]

You could cut the water changes back and up the alk/kalk to boost ph. Obviously staying on top of testing is strongly advised during that period of change. My thought is, you could slowly lower from 12 to whatever number you feel comfortable at and the added alk dosing would keep your ph higher as well.

 

[FernBluffReef]

I tried a test run with a skimmer vent to the outside. I found the size of pipe I needed to vent was more then double and based on where my tank is located would look ugly so I’m collecting parts to build a scrubber before winter.

I don’t have link handy, as I don’t have a scrubber setup as yet, but I found that CO2 absorbing materials are used widely by anesthesiologist and is much less expensive to obtain that way also.

Edit. Byproduct of anesthesiology. Soda lime. Vendor was Jorgensen Laboratories and came in 5 gallon bulk containers. Have not run numbers to say if really less or not as again I don’t have my setup complete as yet but it’s on my list when I get it assembled